Working quickly, efficiently, and in line with your current setup is important when handling PDF documents. That is why PDF2Go offers a Web version and a Desktop application. You can easily convert, edit, and manage your PDF files, online and offline.
As you will soon see, both applications have their own characteristics. In this article, we take a closer look at the features of the Web and Desktop versions, so you can quickly decide which option suits you better. Web or Desktop?
Web vs Desktop
What is the main difference between the two?
The Desktop version is a computer program that runs locally on your device. To use the desktop application, you must first install it on your computer.
Our Web application, unlike the desktop application, requires an internet connection. No installation is needed, and you access the application through your web browser.
What does the Web version offer?
In the PDF2Go Web version, you will find all the online tools you need to convert, edit, improve, and modify your PDF files. They are easily accessible at pdf2go.com.
Some of the most popular tools that are only available on the web include:
- Compress PDF
- Password protect a PDF
- Optimize PDF for web use
- PDF Creator
- Repair PDF
- Unlock PDF
- Sort and Delete PDF Pages
- EPUB to PDF
What does the Desktop App offer?
Even with the growing demand for web-based solutions, using our converters on desktop can still be preferable. What can you expect from the PDF2Go Desktop App?
- It includes PDF converters to turn your PDF to Office document (Word, Excel), and Word to PDF.
- You can use the PDF to Image converter to transform your PDFs into high-quality images (JPG, TIFF, PNG).
- It includes a PDF to PDF/A converter and the option to password protect a PDF.
- The PDF2Go Desktop application also works as a free PDF Reader and allows you to preview and read your PDFs with ease.
- It is important to note that with the Desktop version, you can process an unlimited number of files, with no size limits and without an internet connection.
- The desktop app gives you maximum privacy by processing the files on your own computer.
Simply install the Desktop App for free on your Windows PC and open PDF2Go tools directly from your taskbar.
Which option is better for me?
Even today, when the internet is available almost everywhere, there are still times when we are offline or the network is unavailable. If you are often in places with limited internet access or an unstable connection, you can rely on Desktop applications to work offline. So think about what you need from the service.
If accessibility is very important to you, you want to edit and send documents quickly online, or you need the full range of online tools to get your work done, the Web version is the better choice.
If internet connectivity is a problem, you need to handle large PDF tasks, or you simply prefer to work locally on your computer, our Desktop app is the better option.
In the table below, you can compare features of both versions to help you choose the right one.
| PDF2Go Desktop | PDF2Go Web |
|---|---|
| No file processing limits | More tools available |
| Includes PDF Reader | Safe and easy to use/No installation needed |
| No internet connection needed | Available anywhere with an internet connection |
| Converts PDFs to Office documents | High speed and data security |
| Files are processed locally | Access web service from all your devices |
We recommend: use both Desktop and Web Apps!
The web vs. desktop choice may not be easy. How you use the application depends on the requirements and nature of your project. Your working environment also plays a role. Even though web applications are widely used today, we see the value of both versions and will continue to offer you the best PDF solutions in both formats.
Over time, each type of application has proven to work best in its own niche, and they will likely continue to coexist. In the end, the core functionality is the same, and choosing one option does not prevent you from using the other. You can always choose the solution that fits your needs at any given moment. So why not use both?
Are they free to use?
Using PDF2Go, conveniently process your PDF files online for free. However, this comes with some limitations (for example, file size or number of files per conversion). If you work with many files or convert and edit PDFs very often, please consider the Premium plan.
